Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

The Impact Of Kinesthetic Attunement On Parents And Their Children With Autism: An Exploration, Ritu Shree

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study explored the impact of kinesthetic attunement as experienced through dance movement therapy (DMT) with parent-child dyads on parental stress, children’s adaptive skills and joint attention. A qualitative reflective account of parents was also studied to understand the depth of parents’ experience of dance movement therapy with their children with autism. The research emphasized the importance of collective parent-child dance therapy sessions, that especially focused on attunement and connection that built its way up from sensory-motor, social-communicative, and relational play and engagement.

A total of six parent-child dyads participated in the study that lasted over eight DMT sessions. Parents …

Effect Of Response Bias On Threshold Estimates In Confounded N-Alternative Optional Choice Experiments, James J. Blaha, Benjamin T. Backus, Thaddeus B. Czuba

MODVIS Workshop

Three modifications of the familiar 2-AFC task can be useful when collecting data to estimate sensory thresholds from unpracticed participants: (1) Make responding optional, which relieves the participant from having to guess when they are uncertain; (2) Provide N>2 alternatives, which reduces the number of trials to estimate threshold; and (3) Confound the alternatives with an independent variable, for example by having participants choose visual field locations as alternatives when measuring threshold separately at each visual field location, which reduces the number of trials through multiplexing. The N-alternative optional-choice experiment (N-AOC) and its confounded variant have not been studied …

The N-Alternative Optional Choice Experiment, Benjamin T. Backus, James J. Blaha, Thaddeus B. Czuba

MODVIS Workshop

When testing visual function in clinical settings, one encounters test-takers who have difficulty following a forced-choice instruction when stimulus intensity is low. “I didn’t see anything, why do I have to guess?” An optional-choice paradigm makes it easier for these test-takers to provide data. Here we describe a theory of signal detection for N-alternative optional-choice (N-AOC) psychophysical tasks. The theory generalizes two well-known paradigms into a single framework: the theory for yes-no tasks is a degenerate case in which N=1, and the theory for N-alternative forced choice tasks (N-AFC) is a degenerate case in which the decision criterion is liberal. …

Recommendations For Telesupervision: Promoting Ethical, Legal, And Effective University And Clinical Supervision Using Technology, Madeleine M. Stevens, Yegan Pillay, Edisa Music, Elena Shahen

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The expansion of the use of technology in counseling has implicated counseling professionals in considering how to legally and ethically incorporate it into all facets of practice, including university and clinical supervision settings. In this article, we provide scholarship-backed recommendations for doing so as well as provide suggestions for incorporating psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral (CBT) supervision models into telesupervision.

Exploring Race In Addiction Treatment And The Need For An Anti-Racist Approach, Jackie D. Dell, Mei Tang

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Extensive literature documents that Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color (BIPOC) have been historically and systematically discriminated in addiction and substance use disorder treatment and services. This systemic oppression is the result of the creation and intersection of multiple systems that are rooted in White supremacy, which continue to fail to recognize racism as a critical factor in health disparities. The complexities of the structural factors that contribute to these racial health disparities, and opportunities to better address these disparities were reviewed to discuss their impact on BIPOC clients and the necessity for anti-racist approaches to addressing addiction …

Culturally-Affirming Service-Learning For Counselors-In-Training: Child-Parent Relationship Therapy Training With Spanish-Speaking Families, Karen M. Roller, Szu-Yu Chen, Katrina Volante

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The Spanish-speaking community is the largest underserved language group in the United States. To advance social justice advocacy and multicultural humility for this language group, the field of counselor education needs to create pedagogical scaffolding for non-Spanish-speaking counselors-in-training to work with interpreters to support Spanish-speaking families, while also enhancing language-concordant training for Spanish-English bilingual counselors-in-training. We utilized a critical race research design to explore six counselors-in-training’s experience participating in service-learning through online facilitation of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy with Spanish-speaking families. Interpretative phenomenological analysis of qualitative data yielded four major themes: (a) collaboration, (b) improved awareness, (c) growth and strength, and …

Unmasking Masculinities In Counseling: From Conformity To Connection, Kyle R. Rose

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation explored the entanglements of professional counseling and masculinities across three manuscripts, to contribute to (1) healthier forms of gender expression within and beyond the spectrum of masculinities for individuals, (2) the counseling profession’s role in transforming hegemonic masculinity within communities, and (3) larger movements to subvert the patriarchy throughout society. The first manuscript is a conceptual article that presented the Relational Cultural Privileged Identity Counseling (RCPIC) model, an integrative framework designed to help counselors address hegemonic masculinity within the therapeutic relationship. Drawing from Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) and Privileged Identity Exploration (PIE), this model provided a roadmap for compassionate …

Burnout And Self-Efficacy: Exploring The Rewards And Challenges Faced By Crisis Counselors Working In Emergency Department Settings, Ellen Dotas

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation explores burnout and self-efficacy in counselors who work with clients in crisis in emergency department settings. Mental health and emergency departments are two areas that tend to report higher levels of burnout than are reported in other occupational fields. While much research has been done on the topics of burnout and self-efficacy, limited information is available about counselors who work in these crisis roles. This dissertation follows a three-manuscript format and includes a conceptual, qualitative, and quantitative manuscript. The conceptual manuscript explores the nature of the crisis assessment itself, focusing on the area of risk assessment. The qualitative …

Perceiving The Perceiver: “Viewing” Sauron Through The Gestalt Theory Of Perception, Cameron Bourquein

Journal of Tolkien Research

This paper uses Gestalt theory, the Gestalt laws of perception, and the reception theory of Wolfgang Iser to elucidate the character “Sauron” as he appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power, and Tolkien’s wider legendarium. It argues firstly that Sauron’s high degree of indeterminacy and ambiguity suggests he can be read as a gestalt entity, one the reader creates by mentally constructing a whole from (seemingly) disparate parts. Building on the semiotics work of Nagy (2013), it argues that Sauron in The Lord of the Rings can be read as gestalt across the spatial, …

The Endocannabinoid System's Influence And Modulation Of Nociception, Doreen M. Flannery

Honors Thesis

The anatomy and physiology of pain is a well-defined pathway where noxious stimuli is processed by different systems in the brain. The central research question of this review is how can we better understand the neurobiological effects pain has, and assess if there is therapeutic potential in using endocannabinoids to modulate these effects. Endocannabinoids are signaling molecules that play a key role at both the cellular and molecular level in modulating both acute and chronic pain by influencing different processes within each level that affect how the body responds to both internal and external stimuli. The endocannabinoid system is a …

Effects Of Acute Exercise On Cognition: Consideration Of Potential Moderators, Mary G. Jackson, Lucy Wilson, Mara Liston, Elizabeth Gaines, Mckenzie Cotten, Reese Carwile

Honors Theses

The present thesis aims to determine the effects, if any, of six potential moderators on the effects of acute moderate-intensity exercise on cognitive functioning. The modes of exercise undertaken by the participants included treadmill (Experiment 1) and stationary bike (Experiment 2) exercise. Participants in each experiment either exercised or rested for twenty minutes and then participated in either a memory recall task or cognitive functioning (“Stroop”) task. The bouts of either exercise or rest on the stationary bike were followed by a rest period during which the participant would be exposed to either standard air oxygen levels (normoxia) or hypoxic …

Integrating Positive Psychology And Spirituality To Foster Meaning And Well-Being In Older Adults, Crystal Morris

Adultspan Journal

This perspective article explores the integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) and spirituality in therapy to foster meaning and well-being in older adults. It highlights exercises such as the positive introduction, positive legacy, character strengths, mindfulness, mindful-based yoga, and a manifestation prayer journaling. The interventions presented are tools to support older adults that may experience depression, difficult life transitions, and the search for renewed meaning. Therapists who integrate PPIs and spirituality into therapy can promote a holistic, non-pathological approach to treatment.

A Clinical Review Of Suicide Risks In Dermatology, Rahib K. Islam, Victoria T. Tong, Shari R. Lipner

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Patients with visible skin diseases, including acne, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis, face heightened risks of psychological distress, depression, and suicidal ideation, often exacerbated by social stigma and reduced quality of life. This review explores the intersection between dermatology and suicide, highlighting the psychosocial impact of visible skin conditions and the controversies surrounding treatment-related risks, including isotretinoin and biologic exposure. Current evidence suggests that while isotretinoin has been historically linked to mood changes, robust studies do not support a direct association with suicide. Incorporating mental health screenings into dermatological practice is essential for early identification and management of at-risk patients. By …

Psycho-Sociodemographic And Substance-Related Correlates Of Non-Suicidal Self-Injurious Behavior, Nicole Doyle, Krishen Samuel, Samantha Cohen-Winans Ms, M. Allison Ford, Vinayak K. Nahar, Oluwatoyin Olatunde, Juliet Igboanugo, Mercy Irungu, Robert E. Davis

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: College students face challenging environments in which risky coping mechanisms, such as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and substance use may be used to mitigate psychological strain. The purpose of this research was to examine relationships between substance use, psychological distress, and various aspects of NSSI.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey data were collected from students recruited from a large university in the southern United States (n = 502). Instrumentation included validated and reliable scales on substance use, psychological conditions, NSSI behaviors, demographics, and suicidality measures.

Results: In all, 21% reported engagement in some form of NSSI within the past year. A …

Using Expressive Arts Therapy With Autistic Children To Help Regulate And Build Coping Skills: A Literature Review, Swara Swaminathan

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review is about whether we can use Expressive Arts Therapy with autistic children to regulate and build coping skills. The author could not find articles that covers the entire topic, but she split the topic in terms of autism in India and various application of Expressive Arts Therapy globally. She was able to find Expressive Arts Therapy or Creative Arts Therapy was helpful to autistic children, or children with trauma. She could also notice the stigma of autism in India in some of the articles.

Dance/Movement Therapy As A Potential Complimentary Treatment For Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome: A Literature Review, Ashley H. Marsden

Expressive Therapies Theses

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a debilitating condition predominantly affecting younger individuals, marked by extreme heart rate fluctuations, fatigue, and cognitive disturbances. This literature review explores the multifaceted nature of POTS, emphasizing the need for effective management strategies that incorporate both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. It highlights the promising role of Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) as a complementary treatment, which fosters emotional expression and enhances physical well-being. By synthesizing current research on POTS, pharmacological options, and innovative non-pharmacological therapies like DMT, this review advocates for a holistic approach to POTS management that recognizes the complexities of the disorder and addresses …

Communing With Lions: A Critical Literature Review Exploring Pan-Asian Lion Dance Traditions Through The Lens Of Expressive Arts Therapy, Sarah T. Ngo

Expressive Therapies Theses

Lion dancing is a cultural art form practiced in numerous Asian and Asian diasporic cultures across the world. While the dance has been studied both in a historical and ethnographic manner, little research exists on its therapeutic benefits. This capstone thesis explores lion dancing through the lens of the expressive arts therapies to uncover the therapeutic factors underlying the practice. It applies the Chadian dance/movement therapy framework as well as various expressive arts therapy frameworks to the lion dance. The literature review indicates that lion dancing has the potential to be therapeutic in a number of ways, which include: 1) …

Perception Of Emotions In Autism With Controlled Elicitation, Austin Gillespie, Rachel Dewald

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Recognizing emotions play a crucial role in effective communication.(1)

Previous research has rated autistic expression as awkward.(2)

These studies captured unnaturally elicited emotions by having participants imitate emotions from scripted prompts and pictures

A Tobacco Treatment Training Program Expands The Number Of Healthcare Providers Trained To Use Evidence-Based Practices And Methods, Alex Hurst, Maher Karam-Hage, Jennifer Cofer, Mehwish Javaid, Diane Beneventi, Janice Blalock, Tiffany Winter, Paul M. Cinciripini, Ernest Hawk

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Tobacco-use disorder remains a global health challenge, despite declining rates, and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among special populations that disproportionally do not have access to comprehensive treatment services. The lack of trained providers and slow dissemination of new tobacco treatment knowledge are obstacles to accessing comprehensive evidence-based treatments. Less is known about the impact of specialized training programs on healthcare professionals' ability to effectively treat tobacco use. This paper reports on the evaluation of the tobacco treatment training program, training methodology, and the demographics of the specialists trained.

MD Anderson’s Tobacco Treatment Training Program (TTTP) …

Investigating Mental Health Outcomes Of National Collegiate Athletic Association (Ncaa) Division I Student-Athletes At The University Of Louisville, 2019-2023., Paul Harvey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health outcomes among collegiate student-athletes, has become a broader concern in the 21^st century. This study examines prevalence and incidence of anxiety and depression amongst student-athletes at the University of Louisville from 2019-2023 across different Sports Groups. The prevalence of anxiety was found to be 20.22% and risk of anxiety was 15.65%. The prevalence of depression was found to be 13.11% and risk of depression was 18.75%. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between sports groups and anxiety/depression. There was a borderline association between sports groups and prevalence of anxiety after confounder adjustment (OR=1.86, 95% CI: …

Who Cares For The Caregivers? How Dance And Movement Can Benefit Caregiving Parents Of Children With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities: A Literature Review, Haley E. Gilbert

Expressive Therapies Theses

Caregiver parents of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) are not able to care for themselves as often as they should be able to for their own mental and physical wellness due to their caregiving responsibilities that often carry into adulthood. These can lead to anxiety, depression, grief, and dysregulation for the parent. Dance and movement practices have been found to relieve the symptoms of these experiences while helping the child with IDD and the parent connect more, building stronger relationships. This thesis will include a comprehensive literature review of body-based theories such as the Polyvagal Theory (Polyvagal Institute, 2025), Bowlby’s …

The Effects Of Starting Hormonal Contraceptive Use On Rumination, Abigail Brien

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rumination, a cycle of repetitive dwelling on negative feelings and distress, is associated with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Although there is a substantial body of research on rumination and its association with depression and anxiety in women, there is a lack of studies specifically examining the role of hormonal fluctuation in this process. Changes in the menstrual cycle linked to estrogen and progesterone have been associated with mood regulation and susceptibility to depression, yet the impact of hormonal contraceptives (HCs) on rumination remains unexplored. The current study examined the role of HCs on rumination by comparing …

Improving Brain Health: Exercise As A Tool For Enhancing Executive Function And Reducing Stress In Older African Americans, Destiny Ellise Ramos

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Older African American (AA) adults face disproportionately higher risk of stress and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) compared to other racial and ethnic groups, yet they remain underrepresented in intervention-based research. Previous research has suggested aerobic exercise may reduce stress and benefit executive functioning, which is among the first cognitive domains to be affected in ADRD; however, no studies to date have directly tested the impact of aerobic vs. non-aerobic exercise in older AAs at high risk for developing ADRD. The current study evaluated the effects of a group-based cardio dance fitness (CDF) exercise intervention versus a strength, flexibility, …

The Role Of Endogenous Estrogen In Effects Of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation On Cognitive Performance, Samantha Walsh

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) directly modulates brain activity, allowing the study of brain-behavior relationships in cognitive processes. However, cognitive effects of tDCS vary widely, partly due to individual differences in baseline brain activity. Estrogen levels, which fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, are known to affect cortical excitability and impact neural response to tDCS, but no research to date has examined the potential moderating role of endogenous estrogen in tDCS effects on cognition. In this study, N = 16 healthy female adults completed four sessions of a working memory (WM) task while receiving tDCS (two active sessions, two sham) …

Teaching Students To Provide Effective Feedback With The Situation-Behavior-Impact (Sbi) Framework, Steve Garwood

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Formal training in delivering effective feedback is often absent in educational curricula, despite its critical role in professional development, particularly within medical education. This study implemented a one-hour virtual workshop designed to enhance medical students' feedback proficiency. Participants engaged in activities to identify attributes of effective feedback and applied the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) framework. Post-workshop data demonstrated significant improvement in participants': 1) knowledge of effective feedback qualities, 2) ability to provide actionable feedback, and 3) comprehension of the SBI framework. These findings suggest that targeted interventions can effectively equip students with essential feedback skills.

How Does Exposure To Early-Life Stressors Shape Eating Behaviors In Adulthood?, Surabhi Panda

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The objective of this literature review is to explore the relationship between early-life stress and the development of disordered or dysregulated eating in adulthood. A search was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO databases. Results from each study were compared and synthesized. Twelve studies were analyzed including case reports, systematic reviews, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies. Research indicates that childhood emotional abuse, often more prevalent than other forms of maltreatment, is a significant risk factor for eating pathology, with studies investigating psychological mediators such as anger, anxiety, and dissociation in this relationship. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and early life …

Understanding Obesity Risk In Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: Key Diagnoses And Factors, Elizabeth Kolaski, Wendy Aita, Jennifer Lecomte, Andrea Iannuzzelli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background:

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have obesity rates nearly twice those of the general population, leading to higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, and reduced quality of life.¹ Genetic syndromes such as Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Down syndrome (DS) feature distinct mechanisms driving weight gain.² The burden of obesity in IDD exacerbates health disparities and strains caregivers and healthcare systems.³ Yet, comparative obesity prevalence and its drivers across specific IDD diagnoses remain poorly characterized.⁴

Hypothesis:

Obesity prevalence and underlying risk factors differ among IDD diagnoses …

Cardiovascular Risk Factors In The Autism Spectrum Disorder Population, Christian C. Iannuzzelli, Andrea L. Iannuzzelli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The population of patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have multiple risks and barriers that may make access to proper health care more difficult. After extensive research, some of these barriers may have been identified that pose greater risks to generating proper care for those with ASD. Some of these barriers include medical complexity, more sedentary lifestyles, poor food choices, as well as health comorbities. Some of these health comorbidities include hypertension, metabolic dysfunction, sleep apnea, and inflammation. This study aims to understand what barriers and risks for CVD are present in those with ASD.

Exploring The Effects Of Target Race, Gender, And Weight On Pain Perception, Catherine Awad, Theresa Miller, Azer Tuerxuntuoheti, Peter Mende-Siedlecki

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Healthcare equity is an essential right, and while the quality of care is assumed to be uniform, notable disparities in care are associated with factors of race, gender, and weight-particularly in the domain of pain evaluation and care. In experimental work, target race and gender have varying, and interacting effects on visual thresholds for perceiving painful expressions. Racial bias in pain perception is well established as participants see pain on black faces less readily than pain on white faces; gender also impacts pain treatment, where women are susceptible to having their pain discredited. Across two experiments, the influence of weight …

Healthy Dietary Patterns’ Impact On Depressive Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Angela Encardone

All Theses

As the search for innovative mental health treatments expands, dietary interventions have emerged as a promising approach for alleviating depressive symptoms. This thesis presents a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy of whole-of-diet nutritional interventions in reducing depression symptoms among adults. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model and Engel’s Biopsychosocial Model, this study explores the intersection of biological, psychological, and social factors that influence mental health outcomes. A systematic review identified six eligible RCTs assessing the impact of healthy dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean diet and other plant-based interventions, on depression symptoms. A random-effects meta-analysis revealed a significant …